Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-08-20
THE ART OF TEA TASTING.
Methods of an Expert in the Business
 Chat with One of the Craft.

Methods of an Expert in the Businesa Chat with One of the Craft.
 When the cargoes of teas arrive on this side, millions on millions of pounds. the tes testers, or taSters, work begins. It Is sl art, and remarkable skill Is attained by those who have the natural faculty for it and have developed that faculty by long eI- perience and careful training There are 90 many elements or factors entering into the process and shaping the conclusion of the tea taster that it is impossible to describe them, and perhaps the most proficient tastr of teas could not enumerate theu-in fact, IS not conscious of them The expert .D wool cannot explain how he distinguishes le- tween two grades of wool which to an orii- nary man are identical, but his touch a unerring and his judgment accurate. So the tea taster works often as much by intui- ton as by rule He has equipped himself to operate in the realm of nice distinctions, and he Is perfectly at home there. He cannot be cheated. How do tea tasters go to worki 4 big round table of considerable solidfv, which whirls easily on a pivoted center Temptingly st about the edge of this re- volvlng table one observes an array of sea- cups more or les a-thetic in mold and
 
 establishment
 Generally, however, these important tea sets are for service not for show. A generCR teakettle is stuck somewhere in a convenient corner, and it keeps up pleasant ptIrTins over the patient gas jet When the tea tAster IS in full armor the cups are manipulated deftly; as much ten as will balance fiye-ceut piece k put into each cup, and the same quan- fuf rrlH.H aH tea Then the acute senss of the tea taster sweeps the field. It must not be supposed that this continuous taster of teas drinks hosshcadS of the samples, or even that he drinks at all The tea taster does not neces- sarily put cup to his lips. Tea is teStsd to some extent by the appearance of the leaf. but chiefly by infusion, as just described IL Is the sense of smell that does the businesS Said a tea taster:
 Everything tastes as 1t smells. I have heard it said that if a mansnostri could bs held perfectly tight, he could not determine by his palate which of two substances. a piece of raw potato or onion. was placed in his mouth. At any rate. can determine quality or grade of tea aS perfectly by smell as by taste, and all the best tasters judge by the smell
 '" AeAAtaA AaAAA.AAA AAlt lL-lrT can uItEl determine just how a sample of tea will draw by the peculiar twist of the leaf and its smell
 Can you carry in your memory the-differ- ent grades or kinds of tea So as to identify them if the same comes up again, after the lapse of some timer
 10 a considerable extent we can. If there is anything peculiar about a kind or 10; of tea, we remember it, and can pick it out al once il II ever comes up again. Of coursa, the standard classes of teas are always recoy- nized at once by an expert
 -ls tea tasting injuriousf- -No, not At all There are some men who are somewhat affected by it SO that they are | restless at night, after having gone through | with cargo of tea, but it never affects me al | all In fact, tea tasting cannot be so harmful | as the constant tasting of sugar., etc While | on this Poini IL is a somewhat significant fact | to note that nearly all tea tasters drink Con. gou tea. It Is the finest tea and least ipiuri. | ous Another thing. the secret of giving satisfaction in teas is the furnishing of an article that Is of good strength and body. That k the kind of tea which suits OUT people. 7-Boston Herald